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Dictionary Language resources

divaricate

Pronunciation: /dʌɪˈvarɪkeɪt, dɪ-/

Definition of divaricate

verb

[no object] technical or literary

stretch or spread apart; diverge widely:her crow’s feet are divaricating like deltas

adjective

Botany

(of a branch) coming off the stem almost at a right angle.

Derivatives

divarication

Origin:

early 17th century: from Latin divaricat- 'stretched apart', from the verb divaricare, from di- (expressing intensive force) + varicare 'stretch the legs apart' (from varicus 'straddling')